controversial math question

48÷2(9+3)=? Is it 2 or 288? which one of these answers do you guys think is the right one? LOL

2

The answer is 2. But a simple four-function calculator will often give you 288 if you don’t know what you’re doing.

i say we subpoena this ‘÷’ to see what he’s all about

I asked my Aunt Sally and she said it was 288

  1. order of operations and re-arrange the formula as: 48 _____ 2 * 12

this is controversial?

pimpineasy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > this is controversial? People in East Timor believe it defines life on this planet. The people in West Timor think the people in East Timor are smoking something, hence the controversy.

Remember this from grade school? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PEMDAS

everyone remembers the order of ops as PEMDAS. but of course M&D and A&S can be done in either order as D&M and S&A as well. so until an additional set of parentheses are added to let us know where the 12 belongs, both are technically correct. but if you put that equation into any financial instrument, the answer is 288 as it will calculate according to PEMDAS using whatever operation comes first from left to right. and of course if this equation was seeking a definitive answer, it would clarify where the 12 should be. this equation is a troll. XD

Entered as such excel says 288 - plus 288 is a bigger number than 2 so it’s gotta be the right answer. Bigger is better.

Ummmm

Okay, it’s 288 because it’s M&D from left to right. Dang this elementary school stuff!

I hope I’m getting levelled by all the “2” answers because I cannot possibly comprehend how CFA/CFA Candidates would answer 2 The answer is 288

288 Anyone who got 2 doesn’t know how parenthesis work.

PEMDAS baby. 288

I think the issue is that adults don’t use the divide sign for anything more than simple two-operand calculations. If you use the ratio notation, the operation is clear as day.

i got 150 u forgot to apply probability to both answers

Ok, so I finally see the issue. I got 2 originally, but I see, that the question is whether or not the multiplication against the parenthesis is applied to the top or bottom of the ratio. I stand by 2, I think the 48/2 would have to be in parenthasis for the (9+3) to be applied against the top. But I could be wrong.

48/(2*(9+3))=2 48/2*(9+3)=288 the answer to the original question is obviously 288 and nothing else - if you assume parenthesis in places where there arent any, of course you’ll get a wrong answer